In September 1977, the Bee Gees released the ballad “How Deep Is Your Love”. It marked the beginning of an exciting period for the brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, where they released 4 chart-topping compositions in the short span of 4 months. All songs appeared on the highly-acclaimed “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack, which would become one of the best-selling albums ever. In this article, we will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind “How Deep Is Your Love” by the Bee Gees.
The Story Behind the Song
The story behind “How Deep Is Your Love” started in 1977. the Bee Gees resided at Château d’Hérouville (a house with a recording studio near Paris) and started writing songs for their next then-nameless project. During their stay, movie producer and Bee Gees manager Robert Stigwood called the musicians and informed them he needed songs for his next movie Saturday Night Fever.
Accounts of whether the Bee Gees were aware of Saturday Night Fever while writing “How Deep Is Your Love” differ. Robin Gibb believed the song was written before Stigwood informed them about the film. The Bee Gees’ official Authorized Biography states that “How Deep Is Your Love” was written after Stigwood asked the Bee Gees to write songs for the movie, although he had provided little information about the movie’s content.
The writing process of the song started with Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees’ backing keyboardist Blue Weaver. “Barry asked Blue: ‘What’s the most beautiful chord you know?’ Blue replied: ‘E flat,” Producer Albhy Galuten recalled. “Barry had Blue play the chord and Barry’s lyrics tumbled out.”
Blue Weaver’s account was somewhat similar. After playing the opening chord, he started throwing chords at Barry Gibb, who would indicate whether he liked it. Weaver followed Gibb’s melody line and/or brought in suggestions of his own. The music of the song was reportedly written in a few hours. Despite contributing significantly, Blue Weaver never received a songwriting credit for his involvement.
The Meaning of the Song
After writing the music of the song, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb wrote the lyrics of the love ballad. “The title ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ we thought was perfect because of all the connotations involved in that sentence, and that was simply it,” Barry Gibb stated.
The lyrics of “How Deep Is Your Love” delve into the intense love a person feels for their lover. “Personalities are examined in that tune, but female or male aren’t even mentioned in it,” Robin Gibb said about the lyrics of the song. “It has universal connotations and it clicks with everyone.”
At the time of writing “How Deep Is Your Love”, the Bee Gees weren’t aware of how the song was going to be used in Saturday Night Fever, as is true for most other Bee Gees songs used in the film. Nevertheless, Robert Stigwood believed the songs were perfect for the movie upon hearing them.
The Legacy of How Deep Is Your Love
the Bee Gees initially considered giving “How Deep Is Your Love” to Yvonne Elliman. But after the persistence of Robert Stigwood, they decided to record the song themselves. “I felt strongly about that because when I heard the Bee Gees themselves, it was one of the most moving ballads I ever heard,” Stigwood explained.
“How Deep Is Your Love” was released as a single in September 1977, a few months before the release of Saturday Night Fever. The song became a massive hit and topped the charts worldwide, including the US.
Together with songs like “Stayin’ Alive” and “Night Fever”, “How Deep Is Your Love” featured on the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack is one of the best-selling albums of all time – at one point in time even the best-selling album ever – with over 40 million copies sold.
In a 2001 interview with Billboard to celebrate 35 years of Bee Gees music, Barry Gibb admitted “How Deep Is Your Love” was his favorite Bee Gees song. Many fans agree with him, as the song is one of Bee Gees most loved and celebrated songs.
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